Ranking Bafana Bafana’s Top 6 Goals Scored at the Africa Cup of Nations

• Bafana Bafana scored four against Namibia for the second time in AFCON history
• Themba Zwane scored twice against the Brave Warriors to kickstart their campaign
• South Africa have now scored a total of 52 goals across 11 AFCON appearances

South African optimism has returned with vigour.

Themba Zwane scored the 50th and 51st goals of South Africa's all-time AFCON tally as Bafana Bafana injected new life into their 2023 campaign.

Zwane's goals were the pick of the four against Namibia, rounding off a good run by Thapelo Morena before supplying a piece of individual brilliance for his second.

Sports Brief ranks the best goals scored by a South African at any AFCON since their debut in 96.

Bafana Bafana's Top 6 AFCON goals

6. Mandla Masango 2015

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Football

The Kwaggafontien native pulled off a glorious snapshot against Ghana in what was a high point in an inconsistent career.

The match and the tournament were not a successful one for South Africa, as goals from John Boye and Andre Ayew consigned South Africa to defeat and last place in their group.

5. Elrio van Heerden 2008

Another great goal in an otherwise disappointing campaign, Van Heerden hit one of the cleanest strikes seen in Ghana that year.

The 87th-minute equaliser had given Bafana hope but only one point from the next two group games had them again finish bottom of the group. As a consolation, Van Heerden's goal was chosen among the tournament's 10 best.

4. May Mahlangu 2013

Needing to avoid defeat to Morocco in their final group game to progress, South Africa conceded early. Morocco looked destined for a second when up popped May Mahlangu in the 71st minute with a delicious curling effort to equalise.

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Morocco took the lead again with less than 10 minutes to go but Siyabonga Sangweni scored an equally tasty second to send the hosts into the quarter-finals at Morocco's expense.

3. John Moshoeu 1996

'Shoes' had a night to remember against Ghana in the 1996 semi-final, opening the scoring with an overhead kick in a congested box.

His second goal personified the composure of the hosts on the night, sitting down the Ghanaian goalkeeper before cooly putting the icing on a momentous win.

2. Mark Williams 1996

It was the goal that sealed South Africa's one and only AFCON title. Doctor Khumalo won the ball back in the Tunisian half and slipped in Williams who sealed his place in history.

Williams scored twice in the final but the second has the memorable aesthetic of the Tunisian keeping flinging himself to his left in acrobatic desperation.

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1. Thembinkosi Lorch 2019

Top of the list for having the audacity to eliminate Mohamed Salah and The Pharaohs from their own tournament in front of 75,000 citizens of Cairo.

From a throw-in deep in their half, South Africa took less than 10 touches to slice through Egpyt before Thembinkosi Lorch calmly placed the ball in the bottom corner.

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Football and UFC evoke South African pride

Sports Brief recently reported on the swell of national pride created by Bafana Bafana and Dricus du Plessis.

The national football team defeated neighbours Namibia at the AFCON the UFC fighter won the Middleweight belt.

With the country on a high, fans took to social media to praise both Stillknocks and Bafana for their performances.